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1 week ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Gillian Harvey. Gillian’s short story, “Out Of Water”, is in Special 276, which is on sale now. In your story, there’s good chemistry between your characters. Is romance easy for you to write? I’m interested in people and relationships – whether romantic or otherwise. And connection between people is often the key to a successful story.
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3 weeks ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Becca Robin. Becca’s new serial, “Best Foot Forward”, begins in the April 26 issue, on sale this week. Morris dancing brings the characters together in your serial. What is it about this type of dancing that appeals to you? I love all kinds of dancing but morris dancing, like other types of folk dancing, seems to me particularly joyful and life-affirming.
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1 month ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Gillian Dean. Gillian’s short story, “To Brave The Sea”, is in the April 19 issue, on sale this week. In your story, the sea proves healing balm to your protagonist. What is it about nature that enthuses you in your writing? I have always been a keen hiker and walker and Scotland’s mountains are beautiful – rugged and unpredictable. Mountain and sea landscapes are constantly changing depending on the weather conditions, but they always endure.
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1 month ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is author Sara Partington. Sara’s new serial, “A Deadly Discovery”, begins in the April 12 issue, on sale this week. In my mind, this is your best serial yet for the “Friend”. How would you describe “A Deadly Discovery” to the readers? Very kind. I hope “Friend” readers enjoy it as much as I was entertained researching and writing it.
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1 month ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is debut author Veronica Leigh. Veronica’s short story, “Sweet Nothings”, is in the April 5 issue, on sale this week. The feel-good tone of “Sweet Nothings” clearly stands out. Do you feel the “Friend” complements your story writing? Thank you. I feel having the story published in “The People’s Friend” is a compliment in itself. Writing romance is a change of pace for me, so to have this attempt at a new genre accepted by a magazine of its calibre is an honour.
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2 months ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is debut author Katherine Wagner. Katherine’s story, “Built To Last”, appears in Special 273, on sale this week. “Built To Last” makes for a reflective read. Can you relate to the narrator’s quandary in the story? Are the stories you like to read the types of stories you write? As a writer, do you set yourself goals? Is there a story world or location, real or imaginary, that you would like to visit? Notebook and pencil or laptop? Kitchen table or study?
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2 months ago | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is Charmaine Fletcher. Charmaine’s story, “Done And Dusted”, appears in the February 22 cosy crime fiction mini mag. “Done And Dusted” makes for a page-turning read. How much time do you spend refining your plotlines? Plots tend to come easily to me, so I type them in one go, then doublecheck facts and even words (for historical usage) to maximise accuracy. If I have a day or so, I’ll leave the story (while working on something else) and return to it.
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Feb 3, 2025 | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is Alyson Hilbourne. Alyson’s story, “Saving Grace”, appears in the February 8 issue. You created engaging, colourful characters in “Saving Grace”. When you write, do some characters jump out from the page more than others? Definitely. In this case it was Angus who first appeared in my head, followed by his brother, William. I liked the idea of a strong but taciturn ex-soldier who was obviously struggling to find his place in the world again.
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Jan 27, 2025 | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is Kate Baker. Kate’s story, “Against The Wind”, appears in the February 1 issue. The characters battle adversity in your story. Is story conflict an easy process for you to write? I find story conflict easier to write the longer I’ve pondered why the conflict needs to be there. I’ve found that for me, the typing part of creating fiction is perhaps only 50% of the process, and it comes in fits and starts after ideas have percolated for some time in my head.
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Jan 20, 2025 | 
thepeoplesfriend.co.uk | Alan Spink
Our Writer Of The Week is Moira Gee. Moira’s story, “The Better Man”, appears in the January 25, 2025 issue. I thought you did a good job balancing the protagonists’ storylines around the poet Robert Burns. Where did the idea originate from for the story? A combination of factors, really. First of all, I enjoy watching period dramas and films and I read a lot of the old classics. Secondly, last year, I took one of the Open University’s short courses about the life of Robert Burns.
